Mines grad students named National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellows
NSF fellowship, the oldest continuous graduate fellowship of its kind, awarded to two Mines graduate students
Jessica Lawson, a PhD student in materials science, and Paul Varosy, a master’s student in quantum engineering, have been awarded the 2023 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.
The prestigious program, which began in 1952, is the oldest continuous graduate fellowship of its kind. It provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated potential for significant achievements in the STEM disciplines.
Lawson’s materials science research is focused on developing self-assembled polymer systems for biomaterial applications. She is part of the Kumar Biomaterials Lab, led by Ramya Kumar, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Varosy, who graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Mines in May, is studying quantum information science, with his research focused on designing superconducting devices to help lead the development of useful quantum computers. He has been a research assistant with Eliot Kapit, associate professor of physics. Varosy was also awarded the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship in 2022 for his research on quantum computing. His future plans include pursuing a PhD in applied physics at Stanford University.
Two current Mines graduate students – Adam Humpal and Aryelle Wright – received GRFP honorable mentions. Humpal is a PhD student in materials science and Wright is a master’s student in quantitative bioscience engineering. Both are part of the Kumar Biomaterials Lab.
Five alumni, who did their undergraduate studies at Mines, also received NSF Graduate Research Fellowships:
- Gabriel Adriano ‘20 (chemical and biological engineering)
- Olivia Bird ’21 (chemistry)
- Julie DuClos ’20 (chemical and biological engineering)
- Sarah Jones ’20 (engineering physics)
- Majid Garhy Mohammad ‘21 (engineering physics)
About Mines
Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing the talent, knowledge and innovations to serve industry and benefit society – all to create a more prosperous future.
